Puerto Rico CPA CPE Requirements

How to reach the regulator directly.

Puerto Rico Board of Accountancy
Physical Address:
Administración de Terrenos Building
Chardón Ave. #171 3er Floor
San Juan, PR 00918-0903

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 9023271
San Juan, PR 00902-3271

Tel: (787) 722-4816
Fax: (787) 722-4818
Email: lbarreto@nasba.org

The regulator's own published rules and related resources.

Puerto Rico Board of Accountancy (on NASBA website)

The total continuing education hours required.

Public / Practicing CPA: 120 credit hours.

Non-Public / Non-Practicing CPA: 90 credit hours.

The detailed rules behind that total -- category minimums, ethics, and other conditions.

Public / Practicing CPAs:

In the case of public / practicing CPAs, at least forty (40) of the one hundred twenty (120) credit hours of continuing education required must be accumulated in topics of accounting, auditing and tax (technical subjects).

• For reporting periods ending July 31, 2014 and after: 12 CPE credits in accounting and auditing and 28 in taxes, OR 28 in accounting and audit and 12 in taxes.
  • Note from CeriFi CPEdge: Based on the rule above, the Puerto Rico status report has been configured to display a 40-hour Technical requirement, a 12-hour Accounting and Auditing requirement, and a 12-hour Tax requirement. This will enforce either scenario above.
• For reporting periods ending July 31, 2013 and earlier: Of the 40 hours, at least twelve (12) must be taken in accounting and auditing.

Ethics: Three (3) credit hours in subjects related to professional ethics of CPAs. The content of these courses should be based in the Code of Professional Conduct of the AICPA and the courses must be provided by sponsors registered in accordance with Article 6 of this Regulation (refer to "Acceptable Providers" below).

• Acceptable Providers:
  • Puerto Rico Society
  • NASBA National Registry Sponsors
  • Puerto Rico Universities (refer to "Credit for University / College Credit" below)
  • Puerto Rico Governments, Associations, etc. (i.e. Department of Treasury)
  • Other entities as approved by the Board

The remaining credit hours to complete the requirement of 120 hours can be taken in finance, management, economics, commercial law, labor law, quantitative methods, statistics, information systems, practice management, communication, behavioral sciences, public relations, and sales of securities.

• Communication, Personal Development, and Specialized Knowledge and Applications: The credit hours in the subjects of communication, behavioral science, personal development, public relations, sales of securities, and specialized knowledge and applications may not exceed 24 credit hours.
• Behavioral Subjects: No more than 40 hours may be reported in behavioral subjects, including effective speaking, employee supervision, human resources, leadership and motivation, management by objectives, speed reading, and time management.

Non-Public / Non-Practicing CPAs

Thirty (30) credit hours must be taken on matters directly related to the industry in which the CPA performs and / or the position occupy.

Ethics: Three (3) credit hours in subjects related to professional ethics of CPAs. The content of these courses should be based in the Code of Professional Conduct of the AICPA and the courses must be provided by sponsors registered in accordance with Article 6 of this Regulation (refer to "Acceptable Providers" below).

• Acceptable Providers:
  • Puerto Rico Society
  • NASBA National Registry Sponsors
  • Puerto Rico Universities (refer to "Credit for University / College Credit" below)
  • Puerto Rico Governments, Associations, etc. (i.e. Department of Treasury)
  • Other entities as approved by the Board

The remaining credit hours must be related to the field of business administration, accounting, auditing, taxes or economic activity.

How the reporting cycle is structured.

Triennial.

When a reporting cycle begins.

August 1.

How completed credits are reported to the regulator.

The participants in group programs or self-study must submit the following documentation for the courses which they claim for credit hours of continuing education:

• name of the provider;
• title or description of the content of the program, or both;
• date of participation;
• location of the presentation of the program;
• number of contact hours; and
• certificate of participation.

The renewal or reporting deadline.

July 31.

Please Note: The license renewal period is August 1 – December 1 (every three years). If an application is past the December 1 deadline, CPE can only be counted from the date the application was received and back three years (i.e., If the Renewal Date is 12/1/2011, and the application was received 2/2/2012, then the acceptable CPE is from 2/2/2009 to 2/2/2012).

CPE Extensions may be requested from the Board. The last date to request extensions is December 1 of the year the license expires and must be accompanied by documentation that supports it.

→ Get monthly reminders before this deadline

What happens if the requirement is not met.

The CPA that does not complete the required continuing education established by the Law of Accountancy or this regulation is not permitted to renew their license to practice public accountancy.

The Board can, when it deems it convenient, audit the information about continuing education claimed during the past 5 years from the date that said credit hours were reported to the Board; but the CPA must submit said evidence only if the Board requires them to.

The falsification, fraud, or misdirection in the information or documents submitted relative to continuing education or if it was not completed according to the conditions of this regulation, there will be an object of action against the CPA on the part of the Board authorized by Section 8 of the Law of Public Accountancy of 1945, by amendment.

Reduced or prorated requirements for a first renewal.

A new CPA will begin to accumulate credit hours of continuing education from the period which begins on the 1st of August in the year they were licensed in.

Who may be excused from all or part of this requirement.

The Board is able to modify or consider certain exceptions to the requirements of mandatory continuing education in the following cases:

• For reasons of sickness or incapacity properly certified by a doctor of medicine
• For active military service
• Public Servants whose positions are directly related to the profession of Public Accounting.
• For any other reason that the Board, in their own discretion, considers meritous.

CPE Extensions may be requested from the Board. The last date to request extensions is December 1 of the year the license expires and must be accompanied by documentation that supports it.

Rule changes the regulator has finalized, with effective dates.

Refer to the specific sections above for more details on any of the items noted below.

Breakdown of Specific Requirements:

In the case of public CPAs, at least forty (40) of the one hundred twenty (120) credit hours of continuing education required must be accumulated in topics of accounting, auditing and tax (technical subjects).

• Effective August 13, 2013: For reporting periods ending July 31, 2014 and after: 12 CPE credits in accounting and auditing and 28 in taxes, OR 28 in accounting and audit and 12 in taxes.
  • Note from CeriFi CPEdge: Based on the new rule above, the Puerto Rico status report has been configured to display a 40-hour Technical requirement, a 12-hour Accounting and Auditing requirement, and a 12-hour Tax requirement. This will enforce either scenario above.